BEagleCan I just re-iterate what I posted earlier. The weather from the ATIS was as follows (wind) 15k, NIL, FEW018,FEW023,BKN033,19/--, H1008. The wind had been left out of the report until the erratum of the interim report when it emerged as 080/08kts. The aircraft was known to be overweight to the crew, because this is what was on the recorder (my translation – c’est bonne, je t’assure)
14:13:13 - Engineer “on the gauges I have 96.4 with 96.3 for 95 on board”
14:14:04 – First Officer “ZFW and ZFW CG”, Engineer- “I have 91.9 and 52.2”
That gives a weight leaving the ramp of 91.9 + 96.3 = 188.2 tonnes. Just before take-off the Captain asks this question:
14:40:19 Captain – “How much have we used?” Engineer – “There you had 800 kilos”
14:42:31 Captain – “Go”
They had used just 800kgs 2mins 12 sec before the start of the take-off roll so if we allow say 200 kgs for the last two minutes, that means that using the same information that the crew used, the weight was 188.2-0.8-0.2=187.2 tonnes
That is at least 2 tonnes over the structural limit of 185075 and according to a brief analysis with a friend of mine, who would know these things, they were 6 or 7 tonnes over for the tailwind case. That is not speculation or surmise, that is a direct transcript from the CVR and is the data that the crew were assuming for their performance.
JackonickoPerhaps you will excuse the regard in which pilots hold journalists. We seem to have had a rather hapless experience in the past, and unfortunately it seems the public form their perceptions from what they see and read. We wince every time we read Disaster jet in near smash horror at 30000ft. Thousands almost killed. My night of passion with red hot sexy skipper – busty Belinda tells all.
Please remember that we as pilots bear considerable responsibility with little power, whilst you guys have considerable power, often exercised with little responsibility.